1. Field of Invention
The field of the invention is a method for cooking a complete, nutritious, and generally lower fat meal in a single vessel.
2. Description of Prior Art
While the Applicant is not aware of any patents on previous methods, previous single vessel cooking methods include crock-pot, casserole, skillet, wok, and Indian clay pot cooking methods. None of these methods satisfies all the modern needs for speed, simplicity, and nutrition. Crock-pot cooking produces stews which involve mixing of the ingredients after typically six or more hours of slow cooking at a low temperature. Casseroles use the fat found in dairy products or processed foods such as condensed creamy soups to bind layers together into a single slab. The resulting slab means that the various ingredients cannot be served separately, and the flavors of all ingredients tend to blend together as they are consumed. Skillet and wok meals require constant supervision as well as a second vessel to prepare the rice or grain separately thus negating the concept of a one pot meal. The Indian clay pot method depends on moisture absorbed by the pot before cooking, and requires a significant amount of time in the oven. It imparts a unique clay pot flavor to all the food contained in the vessel—a flavor which not everyone likes. The method of the present invention is superior in speed, simplicity, ease, and nutrition. The Applicant believes that the method of the present invention is a novel one which can cook a complete meal consisting of an entree, starch, and vegetables side dishes simultaneously without mixing the various ingredients. Prior art cooking methods involved too much time, too many vessels, and are not adapted to natural unprocessed nutritious food components. Wok and stir-fry methods add undesirable fat to food. Many of the methods take a considerable amount of time to implement, typically much more than approximately 20 minutes preparation time and about 45 minutes baking time (for a 2 quart Dutch oven) required for the present invention.
The method of the present invention is not disclosed in any of the leading books of which the Applicant is aware. An important book on Dutch oven cooking is Dutch Oven Cooking by Ray Overton (Longstreet Press, 1998). Methods described in this book typically involve preparation of pasta or rice separately and multiple vessels to prepare a single meal. The recipes require multiple preparation steps, take more time to prepare, and most are performed on the stovetop rather than in an oven, and therefore require more supervision. A book entitled One Dish Dinners, by Better Homes and Gardens (Meredith Books, 2000), presents recipes prepared using a skillet, crock-pot, or grill. Many recipes require rice or pasta to be cooked separately. Cooking times can range up to 8½ hours. The title refers more to the presentation of the meal rather than to the method of cooking of the meal. A book entitled One Dish Meals Cookbook by Pillsbury (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 1999) involves recipes for casseroles, skillet dishes, and slow cooker meals. These recipes are substantially higher in fat or require prepared products. The Dutch oven/high heat cooking method of the present invention is not disclosed in these books.